Never Let Me Go
by HPtwilightfanatic
Summary: "Percy, why am I here?" "Because I asked you to be?" "Yes, but why did you ask me to be?" After Percy said good night to Annabeth one night, he was suddenly in California, miles and miles away from her. He's not going to make the mistake of leaving her again.


The sun made its steady path below the waves as Percy and Annabeth dawdled back towards the cabins. Their continuing debate about which tactic is best in order to run away from empousi entertained them on their journey back as Percy absent mindedly played with Annabeth's fingers.

Harpies could be heard in the distance, letting out cackles and crows as they woke up in hope of some midnight snacks.

"Ok, ok you win. It's easier to make them turn against each other." Percy relented, pressing his forehead against hers.

"I know. I always win," Annabeth whispered in return, causing twin smiles to appear on their lips. "I'll see you tomorrow." She brushed her lips against his chastely, and turned to the door of the Athena cabin.

Her wrist refused to follow, however, and actually ended up pulling her backwards. Adrenaline went through the blonde girl, and she was immediately alert of ever miniscule movement around her.

But nothing had changed. No monsters had jumped out of the woods. There was no need to reach for her dagger.

Grey eyes flitting behind her and she saw Percy's grip still tight around her hand. She glanced up at him, but he was avoiding her gaze.

"Percy?" She stepped closer, where she had been standing before.

In the little light that the pink sky provided, she could see a slight flush color the boy's cheek. She had to tilt her back to look at his face, trying to meet his eye.

"Percy, look at me." A sigh heaved out of his lungs, and his green Atlantic eyes darted to hers. She was not sure what she wanted to make of what she saw there. They seemed to churn just like a hurricane, yet at the same time, they were soft, like the pools of a reef.

His fingers folded their way back between hers as he stepped closer, their noses brushing.

"Stay with me."

For once in her life, Annabeth Chase did not know what to think.

"Percy-"

"Please." Percy's eyes held hers fast, and he had been able to catch her other hand. His was not the face of a lustful teenage boy, which many girls would expect to see when their boyfriends said these words.

His brow etched deep in his forehead, which Annabeth wished she could dust away with her fingers. He should never have to look like this, but this face had appeared on his features more often than not after they'd returned to Camp Half Blood.

Annabeth squeezed his hands, nodding as she let herself be pulled to the Poseidon Cabin.

"We could be caught." She voiced her concern as he slipped the door shut behind her. Not even bothering to turn on the light. The small fountain in the corner glistened enough for a soft green glow to fill the cabin.

"I think Chiron might cut us some slack." His pesky smirk was back, but Annabeth was not having it.

"Percy, why am I here?"

"Because you're a half blood? And this is the only safe place for us?"

Annabeth pinched his arm, rolling her eyes.

"Because I asked you to be?" He tried again, attempting to look innocent and nonchalant.

If there was one thing Percy was terrible at, it was looking innocent. Even if he was completely guiltless, he somehow always looked like he'd done something wrong. Maybe that's why he got into so much trouble all the time.

"Yes, but why did you ask me to be?"

The smirk faltered, and he sat stiffly on his bed, picking at his fraying shorts.

Annabeth felt a sigh build up, but she pressed it down, moving to him. She nudged his knees apart, stepping between them, her hands resting on his shoulders. He turned his face up to her. She wanted to hug him so tightly and erase that face forever.

Percy's hands came to sit on her waist.

"I let you go once," as if to emphasize this, he clutched her tighter. "And I lost my memory. I ended up hundreds of miles away from you, just by leaving you for the night." His voice was muffled against her orange shirt, but that did not prevent her from hearing every word. A shiver shot through her from her toes.

"I'm never going to let that happen again." His voice sounded more determined than if he was about to face a Titan.

Annabeth let her hands weave into his hair. "You know that's sort of irrational, right?" His chuckle vibrated through her.

"I know. But that's not going to stop me from carrying out my plan."Annabeth thought she felt a kiss press against her abdomen, but she couldn't tell for sure.

"Oh, you have a plan?" She lightly tugged, making him turn back up to her. At least his smile was back.

"Mhm." He nodded as a devilish look came into his eye.

"Care to share?"

A hand slid up and reverently held a side of her neck, and he guided her head down and captured her lips. Annabeth smiled against his mouth as their lips moved together.

All of their kisses were different. Their first had been exhilarating, new, and beautiful. The one at Camp Jupiter had held the feeling of something being found.

But this one was something entirely different.

"I'll just never leave you again." He whispered, pressing a kiss to her ear, traveling down her jaw, to her neck, where he breathed deeply. His breath tickled her skin, but not as much as his words had. She felt like millions of prickles were crawling over her skin. But it felt wonderful.

"I'd be alright with that."

Percy gently pulled her down with him, stretching out over the mattress. He pressed her ever closer, almost trying to make them meld into one.

They lie there in silence, Annabeth tracing his arm with a finger, feeling him breath next to her. They were breaking almost every single camp rule. Chiron could actually throw them out. But she could not bring herself to leave the boy.

She understood where he was coming from. When she'd first seen him down in Camp Jupiter from the Argo II, she had wanted to take him in her arms and never let go. Feeling his hands press against her back, and his face bury in her hair in this moment, she knew that there was nothing to worry about. She knew that they would never be forced apart again. A tranquil feeling filled her, and a smile formed on her lips.

There would definitely be more danger. But they had made it through things that even the heroes of legend couldn't have done. And Annabeth challenged the future to try and rip them apart, because she knew that it would try. She tightened her arms around him, nestling her head in his chest, where the orange cloth covered it.

If they stayed together, like this, nothing could pull them apart.

A/N: I foresee a lot of Percabeth in the future, because I am currently reading Mark of Athena. So here we go! Bring it on! The title is from Florence + the Machine's wonderful song 'Never Let Me Go'. It is truly a Percabeth song, _especially_ for Mark of Athena.

The characters are Riordan's.

Thanks for reading guys! I hope you like it!


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